ABSTRACT
The pufferfish toxin, Tetrodotoxin (TTX) has been found to be an important tool in modern neurological research. TTX has been found to be useful in the treatment of pain from such diverse problems as migraines, neuralgia, arthritis, rheumatism, and heroin withdrawal. Considering the benefits of TTX of Lagocephalus sceleratus species in the pharmaceutical industry, laboratories are to be established in East Mediterranean countries for the purification and subsequent use of the toxin. The synthesis of Saxitoxin as a pharmaceutical agent has the potential to be extremely lucrative, but the chemical's possible systemic toxicity is preventing the toxin from making it past clinical trials. International Wex Technology, a publicly traded Canadian bio-pharmaceutical company that has licensed and patented this technology for clinical applications, manufactures this compound under the name Tetrodin. Pre-clinical testing for the use of Tetrodin as a long-acting anesthetic is also in progress.
